


Taking this One Step at a Time

by PsychologicalColors



Series: Brofest 2018 [2]
Category: Vigilantes: Boku no Hero Academia, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angry Wheelchairing, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BNHA Brofest Rookie Tier, Character Study, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Kinda, Rare Characters, Rare Pairings, Recovery, cause how do you Tensei, minor Iida Tensei/Haimawari Kouichi, now with far too much crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-04-30 23:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14507598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychologicalColors/pseuds/PsychologicalColors
Summary: He can’t feel his legs.He tries to wiggle his toes, but the command becomes lost in translation. He tries to move his arms, but never have the engines in his forearms seemed to weigh as much as they do now.He hears voices, doctors are close by, talking about how something is going to affect his career.Or lack thereof.In which Iida Tensei struggles with his new found situation and dealing with his reckless little brother. But at least he has a friend in all of this..





	1. Coping

He can’t feel his legs.

 

He tries to wiggle his toes, but the command becomes lost in translation. He tries to move his arms, but never have the engines in his forearms seemed to weigh as much as they do now.

 

He hears voices, doctors are close by, talking about how  _something_  is going to affect his career.

 

Or lack thereof.

 

 _Paralyzed from the waist down_.

 

_A real shame._

 

_Sad to see a young man’s career end so soon._

 

A sob breaks through their quiet murmuring.

 

The doctors gather around him, checking vitals and asking questions in unduly calm voices. They request him to move certain body parts, tried his best to focus on moving his legs, but he fails time and time again. He does his best to cooperate with their other requests but the numb feeling in his legs seems to spread through his very soul. 

 

What is he supposed to do now? When all he feels is numb?

 

The doctors finish reviewing his condition, he’s in pain; unholy amounts of pain. The numb feeling that consumes worsens further with the morphine.  _He thinks it’s for the best_. Once they deem him stable. They allow his mother to enter the room.

 

Her short black hair is a mess, strands sticking in every directions. The sleeves of her cardigan have been wrinkled as if they had been pulled repeatedly. Her glasses are crooked.

 

She’s been crying.

 

The numbness sinks away and his heart shatters.

 

He knows this is going to affect his beloved family.

 

She lowers herself down into the bed and gathers him up in his arms as best she can without causing him harm. She starts weeping again and he does his best to comfort her, its hard for him to move but he places his hand on hers and forces a smile for her. She looks at him and being apologizing and it breaks when she starts blaming  _herself_ for this mess. He squeezes her tight and chokes down a sob.

 

It’s his fault.

 

It’s all his fault.

 

He should’ve done-

 

She shushes him, a broken laugh escaping her lips.

 

_It’s neither of their faults._

 

They stay like that, merely crying. Eventually, they quiet, holding one another basking in the warmth that only the _living_  produce. His father enters the room looking careworn, running off the caffeine he holds in his hand. He offers one to his wife and takes a seat on the chair beside them. He places a kiss on each of their heads, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes, but he doesn't let them fall. He smiles at them instead, gently telling them how much he loves them.

 

"I love you too" he says quietly, before the medication takes over and he's slipping into the dark.

* * *

 

When Tenya bursts through the door Tensei is barely there. They’ve upped his pain medication in hopes of making him more comfortable. He desperately wishes for a movie moment, where seeing the panic on his younger brother’s face would bring some sort of physical awareness to him, allow him to respond more properly.

 

But it doesn’t come, he’s still sluggish and his words are delayed. It takes him a moment to even notice  _who_ barreled into the room.

 

_Oh god, Tenya._

 

Realty crashes into him and guilt over takes him. Tenya walks in looking frantic, school uniform disheveled, the jacket is just barely buttoned properly. His mother holds Tenya tight, apologizing for ruining his day. He waves her off with a small smile, family is more important, no competition would keep him away from them.

 

The sports festival was today.

 

_Today was supposed to be his day._

 

_He should’ve just gone to watch his little brother compete._

 

But that would’ve put his precious team in the line of fire instead. He couldn’t live with himself if that had happened.

 

It’s the only thought that comforts _him_.

 

He does his best to comfort  _Tenya_  while the teen bawls over him. He tries to grab his hand, but it’s Tenya who manages to grip his instead. Tenya holds on tight and Tensei squeezes back. 

 

"I'm alright, Tenya"

 

"But brother, your legs-"

 

"Shhh, I'm still here, that's the important part"

 

He loves his brother to bits and can’t help but hate the fact that he’s the reason Tenya’s so upset.

 

_He did this._

 

Tensei sees something flicker across Tenya’s face, but his mind is far too sluggish to process what it was. Too lost in his musings, too focused on comforting his family, too out of it to really accomplish anything.

 

He can’t be a hero for his little brother anymore, but maybe it’s time for Tenya to be someone else’s.

 

_Tenya is going to be devastated._

 

It’s selfish, but he doesn’t want the name of Ingenium to die either.

* * *

 

Days go by and his wounds begin to heal. There’s nothing the doctors can do about his legs, but he won’t let that stop him from doing what he can. Thanks to the doctor’s quirk he’s healing at an amazingly fast rate. It’s something he appreciates. His body no longer sears with pain, though he still must be mindful of the stitches. They’ve reduced his pain medication and the familiar  _need_ to move begins to gnaw at his core.

 

His father is always reminding him to take it easy, keeping an eye on his oldest to ensure this. Though, the older man knows better than anyone how hard that is for the Iida family. They’re a family with movement quirks, activity is basically ingrained into them, Tensei’s whole philosophy is  _speed_ after all.

 

His father comes every other day, doing his best to ward off the media who have shamelessly been pestering the family. His mother comes often and stays longer. She holds his hand at any opportunity to ensure he’s still alive; that it's not the nightmare that plagues her, were her son is dead in an alley and doesn’t squeeze her hand back in reassurance that he’s still here. She’s fragile and distracted; perhaps it is not behavior you would expect of a former hero, but she’s human.

 

They’re all human.

 

And then there’s Tenya.

 

Tensei has always teased the younger Iida about being robotic, with his clunky movements and far too proper words, but he was every bit human as the rest of them.

 

The boy is only around for a few days, but he spends any chance he has by Tensei’s bedside. They try and chat to the best of their abilities, but Tensei sees the growing despair in his little brother every time they would talk. The way he would stare at his unmoving legs, how he would seem to reach out for the engines in his forearms before realizing what he was doing. Tenya’s eyes would cloud over with disdain, but not for Tensei.

 

For Stain.

 

He does his best to redirect the despair; tries even harder to squash it, but Tenya doesn’t budge. Whenever he tries to ask him about it, he’s met with the walls of a poorly built mask, fake smiles and an emotionless “Everything is alright brother”.

 

His worry only grows but he knows it’s out of his hands, _he caused this._

 

_He’s useless._

 

_He's failed him._

 

He hears Tenya’s phone buzz again. It brings a small smile to his face as he reads the name of the contact.

 

All he can do is hope that his little brother’s friends can pick up his slack. Though, he doubts Tenya will make it easy for them. Tenya’s stubbornness is about as thick as the armor he wears. He can already guess the reply Midoriya will get. If he gets one at all.

 

Tensei knows about the little squad Tenya has at school, he’s heard the stories of how Midoriya was a better man than he; a worthy rival to look up to and surpass. He knows that Midoriya has a heart of gold and the self-preservation instinct of a newborn. Though, Tensei can agree that the amount of injuries the boy racks up is worrisome.

 

Then there was Uraraka, his introduction to her was a full 10-minute rant about the tactics she and Midoriya had employed during a simulation. He remembers Tenya complaining about how she had laughed at him as he got into character. (He also laughed at this part further flustering his little brother). She wanted to be a hero for more humble reasons, wanting to be a hero for her family before anything else.

 

It was something Tensei admired.

 

He huffs to himself quietly as Tenya sends them a reply,  _everything is fine_  he reads over his shoulder. He’s happy his brother finally has friends. Friends who are there to lend a shoulder. He’s aware that their friendship is still new and tentative, but he hopes Tenya learns to rely on them.

 

He really hopes Tenya confides in them and let's them destroy the dark thoughts circling inside his head.

 

He doesn't want to think about what will happen otherwise.


	2. Reuniting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensei gets a not so unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I 100% blame the brofest discord for some of this.

Once the doctors give him the okay, the police are sent to interview him. His thoughts are no longer muddled by painkillers and he can finally think clearly. The inconsistent memories that have plagued him have finally cleared.

 

( _He calls and tells Tenya not to visit him until later. The gnawing feeling in his gut telling him it’d be a bad idea for Tenya to hear any of the information being exchanged._ )

 

He hears a knock on his door. With a steadying breath, he tells them to enter. The officer interviewing him is Tsukauchi, something about him seems familiar. Accompanying him is an older looking man who introduces himself as Tanema. They exchange a few words, before the older man is stepping outside. Tensei doesn’t know why, but he’s too distracted to pay attention, still stuck on the name Tsukauchi. He knows it has something to do with Haimawari but can’t recall why.

 

The questioning begins, quickly snapping him out of his thoughts.

 

He does his best to recount the events between him and the Hero Killer to detective Tsukauchi. In return, the man gives him what details he can about the current situation and updates about his agency. They were helping track down the villain after all, joining the police force in their hunt. He mentions off-handedly that they’ve doubled either efforts recently; Tensei isn’t sure what to feel.  

 

They continue for a little longer before they cover every aspect they can think of.

 

Now all he can do is hope the menace is caught soon.

 

Tsukauchi packs the few things he had and stands. He thanks him for his time with a small smile. Before leaving however, the detective bows to him, not as a thank you for his time but for something much more personal.

 

“I wanted to say thank you, Ingenium. You and The Crawler saved my little sister from a hijacked bus 4 years ago. Thanks to the two of you she was able to return home safe and intact. I am truly sorry that your hero days are over, but I would just like you to know that your heroic acts will not be forgotten, Ingenium.” Tsukauchi gives him a sad but genuine smile and suddenly it clicks. That’s why the name has been bugging him.

 

_He’s related to Koichi’s friend, that’s why the name was familiar!_

 

“I’m glad I was able to help! I know vigilantes are on the “wrong side” of the law, but The Crawler was really the heroic one that day, I couldn’t have done it without him.” He replies honestly with a smile that isn’t forced. Its cliche, but he really wouldn’t have managed by himself. He’s forever grateful to his sidekicks and Koichi.

 

Tsukauchi throws him an amused smile, knowing full well how much the man prides himself on teamwork.

 

He takes his leave shortly after, one last thankful smile gracing his lips. Though, a small glint of mischief makes itself known.

* * *

 

Tensei is only half surprised when Haimawari Koichi shows up in his hospital room. There is literally no doubt that he has Tsukauchi to blame, not that he would blame him at all. It’s been a while since he had last seen his friend.

 

_I could use a friend right now._

 

Koichi’s matured physically now that he’s officially out of his teen years. No longer lanky with an awkward gait but instead has built up lean muscle and is full of more self assurance. His hair is a bit longer, not by much but it makes him seem a bit more carefree. He still has the same kind smile and sheepish look to him though and Tensei is glad.

 

“Makoto called and gave me your room number out of nowhere. I was surprised she managed that. Since this is still top secret and all.” Koichi gives him a shy smile, silently closing the door behind him.

 

Tensei can’t help but laugh joyfully.

 

“You _would_ manage to get a hold of top secret information” returning the smile with his own beaming one.

 

Conversation is as easy between them as its always been. Tensei tells him about some of his weirdest patrols and Koichi tells him about the naked Icarus who he can’t seem to get rid of these day. They talk for a while longer, updating each other on their lives. Tensei is thankful for it, honestly, he could probably listen to Koichi all day.

 

Koichi hasn’t said much about his current aspirations. So, he asks.

 

With a contrite smile, Koichi admits to Tensei that he’s looking for a way to take the test for his provisional license, but if he can’t he’ll just keep to his social work instead. He tells him that the trickiest part is getting an agency to accept him for training since he couldn’t be admitted through a school anymore. It’s near impossible even if he does, but he’s willing to try.

 

Tensei’s quick to re-offer his agency, much like he did all those years ago.

 

He never did understand why high school had to be your only shot to become a hero. Sure, it’s probably to have _some_ control over the influx of applicants, but college should still also be an option. He’s pretty sure police applicants had to be over 18 to even get into the academy.

 

Either way, while he may not be active anymore, he’s sure he can convince his some of his sidekicks to go through with the idea.

 

“It sucks that you can’t do heroics anymore but at least you still got your quirk functioning. You can still zoom around in your wheelchair and run villains over. Maybe it’d help you cut corners now too.”

 

Suddenly, everything is tense.

 

They both sit in silence as Koichi process what just left his mouth (Pop would always get onto him for not realizing how insensitive he could be). Koichi lifts out of his seat, about to frantically apologize when Tensei doubles over laughing.

 

"You are absolutely right! I could even register as a car now, I'll become a police cruiser instead!" Tensei howls, Koichi lets out a startled laugh before breaking down with him. 

 

Soon enough the air is filled with wheezing and Koichi hands him a water bottle from his bag, a breathless laugh escaping his lips as well as they settle down. They look at each other with goofy smiles.

 

It’s a welcomed change of pace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is it Koichi or Kouichi 2k18


	3. Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone should probably take italics from me.
> 
> This was suppose to be posted a few days ago but I've decided to rewrite some chapters. Fun fact, the previous chapter was cut short accidentally and then I realized I liked leaving it like that better, which then threw everything off so hopefully this flows better than what I had in my drafts. I also made a couple of changes due to the updates from Vigilantes.

Koichi continues to visit. His visits are probably the most infrequent out of his visitors, but they’ve traded cell phone numbers in order to keep in touch.

 

The days are filled with lighter conversations as Koichi recounts stories of his college life, (he graduated a little over a year ago with a degree in sociology, he’s hoping to become a counselor if his licence plan fails.)

 

Koichi recounts stories of his teammates and how he still questions their sanity most days.

 

“How are they by the way? You don’t hear much about them these days.” Tensei asks, curiosity piqued. Occasionally he would see posts of Pop Step, but Knuckleduster had all but disappeared for the lime light.

 

“They’re all doing okay, Pop’s experimenting with her music and style. Master’s doubled his efforts of being a family man. Makoto-senpai is still a busybody. I doubt you’d want me to get into the specifics, you’ve seen first hand how wild they are.”

 

Tensei waves him off, happy to listen. It’s probably the closest thing to normality he has right now. Koichi converses with him as he always has before Stain. His mom tries, but it’s still hard for her seeing him like this. His dad is a bit better at it, but his gaze still lingers on his legs filled with regret.

 

And Tenya-

 

* * *

_Tenya was spiraling, but he wasn’t the one falling, no._

_He was stuck in place, 50 feet off the ground._

_Tenya was not falling._

_E_ _verything else seemed to be falling around him._

* * *

 

It takes longer than Tensei expects for Koichi to run into Tenya during one of his visits.

 

It’s been about two weeks since the accident, he’s starting therapy far earlier than anyone expected. This is all thanks to the doctors quirk, which allows him to boost cell regeneration in short bouts. He’s said it before, but Tensei _really_ appreciates the speedy recovery. The fact that Recovery Girl stopped by once was also a factor in his speedy recovery. 

 

A nurse is pushing him back to his room from his first session when he spots his little brother hovering outside his door. He must’ve just gotten there because he peaks into the room and Tensei sees his face contort in confusion. What confuses Tensei is the fact that Tenya seems to be talking to someone. As he gets closer he can hear what Tenya’s saying to what he originally thought was his empty room.

 

“Excuse me, I’m sorry but has Iida Tensei been moved to another room?”

 

“Oh, uh, not that I’m aware of? I’m actually waiting for him… haha” Koichi chuckles awkwardly.

 

Lucky for them, Tensei decides to spare them from the uncomfortable conversation. Tensei quickly tells the nurse he can wheel himself down the hall, she lets him go and tells him when his next session is before he’s darting away. His arms are aching, but he associates it with progress. It makes him feel just a little bit stronger.

 

Makes him feel like he's doing something right.

 

Tenya must’ve noticed him speeding down the hall, since he turns away from the door to look. He sees Tenya’s eyes light up just a little bit and he smiles wide. Tensei puts him hands on the bar and starts to slow himself down as to avoid rushing past his door. He sees Tenya tense a bit, ready to catch him, but the need never arrives.

 

“What’s up little bro? It’s good to see you” He says and pats Tenya on the back.

 

“Likewise, nii-san. Where were you, if you don't mind my asking?”

 

“I was in therapy, they had me exercising my arms and legs today. How has school been?” As Tensei asks, Koichi steps out of his room and gives him a small wave.

 

Tenya looks at him again before answering “Everything is going well. The school has finished processing the internship requests and will be giving us the final lists tomorrow. I’m sorry if I sound rude, but can I ask who you are?” Tenya finally inquires as he turns his head towards Koichi.

 

“Oh! This is Haimawari Koichi, he was a jogging buddy!” Tensei answered for Koichi.

 

Tenya looked between the two of them. Tensei could practically see the cogs in his head turning as if trying to recall something. Has Tensei mentioned Koichi before? Apparently so, because a few moments later Tenya’s asking if he’s the one with the gliding quirk.

 

“Yeah” Both Tensei and Koichi respond at the same time. Koichi blushes a bit when both Iida’s turn to look at him. He looks between them unsure of what to do with himself, Tensei pats him on the shoulder reassuringly while Tenya looks on at them with mixed emotion.

 

“How about I come back later, I’ll bring some dinner. Hospital food sucks or that’s what I’ve heard” Koichi said apprehensively, he really didn’t wanna interrupt their time together.

 

Tensei looks at him with surprise “You don’t have to go, you were waiting for me and all. The food here isn’t all _that_ bad. Though, dinner sounds great.  ”

 

Koichi was quick to wave him off.

 

“I’ll be back later with some food then, it was nice to meet you, Tenya” Koichi says as he begins to make his way down the hall, giving them a warm goodbye.

 

Tensei waves back before motioning for Tenya to come into the room.

 

“I’m surprised you gave someone your location, Tensei. You do know this is suppose to be confidential correct?” he scolds softly.

 

Ah, ever the stickler for rules, Tenya is.

 

“What if some lowly villain finds out this location? What if the Hero Killer comes to finish the job” he continues, voice wobbling slightly.

 

“I trust him, he’s a close friend. I trust him as much as I do my sidekicks, so don’t worry about me Tenya. And if anyone tries to make an attempt on my life, I’ll run ‘em over with my wheelchair” Tensei ruffles his hair reassuringly earning a worried, but amused chuckle from Tenya.

 

“So tell me more about you internships. I know you said their still processing the nominations but is there any agency you’d like to work in specific? Any field in specific?”

 

Tenya refrains from telling him he wanted to work at Team Idaten before all this.

 

“I’m not entirely sure yet, we will have a few days to go over our lists. I figured I would choose one then.”

 

Tensei gives him a strange look. Normally, Tenya would at least have considered what type of work he wanted to do beforehand. There are different kinds of heroes, after all. You had pros who specialized in rescue; pros who specialized in take-downs. There were also pros who specialized in lesser known subjects like drug busts and human trafficking since their quirks were more specialized to stealth (hell, Aizawa was one of these heroes). Tenya knows about all of this, but hasn’t even considered a field?

 

Yeap, there’s something wrong here.

 

“Really? I’m a bit surprised, you haven’t thought of any sort of preferences?” He sees Tenya close off and mentally sighs. He knows he won’t be able to push the subject any further. Maybe he should, but he doesn’t want to sacrifice the small moment of relaxation Tenya had. He’s doubtful it happens often back home. Instead, he changes the subject once it’s clear Tenya isn’t going to respond.

 

“Anywho, tell me about you friends. Any new stories?”

 

A guilty look crosses his face for a second, but soon enough it’s replaced by fondness as he recounts the latest mischief Uraraka has caused. He tells him about how Todoroki will occasionally join them at lunch now, though it takes some convincing on Midoriya’s part.

 

They talk for over an hour, sharing jokes and stories. Tensei even pokes fun at Tenya’s love life before the teen is groaning and saying he has more important things to focus on, face crimson red.

 

Eventually, it starts getting dark. Koichi comes back with containers full of food and the three talk quietly over the food. Koichi doesn’t stay long tonight, but he leaves when Tenya does and offers to walk him to the station. Tenya accepts graciously, though says he doesn’t have to if it’s out of the way. Soon after,  they’re leaving with quick goodbyes.

 

* * *

 

_Tenya gets out of bed and starts his day as usual._

_He’s attentive through all his classes._

_He eats lunch with Midoriya and Uraraka._

_They do their best to lighten the mood, but he can feel their questions and worry hanging in the air._

_But they don’t ask._

_Not yet at least, and he appreciates that._

_The day continues on and study hall arrives._

_Tenya skims the location of the offices, not caring who they belong to._

_He only has one requirement in mind._

Hosu _._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come yell at me to upload @satanic-yogurt.tumblr.com
> 
> I headcanon that Tensei really likes watching movies when he has time off. it's probably the only time he sits still.  
> Koichi genuinely likes cooking, his mom was busy a lot but when she would cook she always made sure to drag him into the kitchen to spend time with him.


	4. Worrying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my short reprieve from studying for finals and cosplay, I post this. I'll probably edit it later on in life.
> 
> Because of said finals and cosplay, the next chapter might take a bit. So with this wait I figured I'll ask for opinions.  
> My original intent was the have this story rotate perspectives, but I've become taken with just keeping it to Tensei's, 
> 
> I do however have a draft for a fight scene of Koichi and Stain, would anyone like for me to actually finish that and post it as a separate one shot? Or should I include it in this story?

When Tensei hears about Tenya’s choice for his internship all he could feel is unadulterated horror.

 

The moment the word ‘Hosu’ was out of his mother’s mouth, he knew exactly why the little idiot was going there of all places. It’s been a few weeks since the sports festival. He had been riding on the hope that Tenya would’ve cooled down by now, but he was _wrong._

 

_What the fuck, Tenya._

 

He immediately tries to contact him and talk him out of it but every single time, he’s ignored, the call is rejected.  He tries texting him, but surprise, they aren’t answered. When that happens he tells his parents. They do their best questioning their younger son, but they’re met with reasons why working with Manuel would be beneficial and why Hosu was an ideal location. He has them convinced, 100% fooled. He doesn’t blame them though, Tenya is the type to break a lamp and immediately write a 10-page apology letter.  

 

Not the type who would go hunt down a serial killer.

 

“He’ll be okay Tensei, you know your brother has a good head on his shoulders”

 

_Except it’s not on straight._

 

 _“_ Be reasonable, Tensei. I know you’re worried about Tenya but it unbecoming to be throwing fits at your age. You’re 30 already for goodness sake. Manual will take good care him, have faith.” his father tells him quietly, a pitying look in his eyes.

 

Tensei wants to rip out his hair.

 

_He still can’t leave the hospital._

 

He feels like he may as well be 15 wanting nothing more than to protect the small toddler known as Tenya.

 

Tenya, who is very much _acting_ like a toddler right now.

 

Maybe he’s being ridiculous and overbearing, maybe he’s wrong. But, he knows Tenya better than he does most people, and he knows his little brother is torn and angry and on a path of self-destruction and won’t listen to _reason._

 

He won’t listen at all.

 

Tensei is the cause of all this and now he can't do anything to remedy the situation himself. 

 

There’s only one thing he can think of.

 

He calls Koichi.

 

The man answers after a few seconds of fumbling with his phone. When he picks up he’s met with a very stressed, and mildly hysteric, Iida Tensei on the other end of the line.

 

Well shit. This is new.

 

“I need you to do me a favor. Can you come over as soon as you can?”

 

Kouichi agrees without complaint. Never has he heard the older man so undone in the years he’s known him. Tensei was calm and confident, maybe a bit carefree. He had no idea what to expect if his friend was acting like this.

* * *

 

When he gets there he’s all but herded into the room by the man.

 

It’s a miracle nothing gets toppled over.

 

Tensei seems to finally pause and take a deep breath.

 

“I need you to keep an eye on my brother. Only if you can of course, I also can't just force this on you. I _don't_ want to force this on you. He’s not your brother after all...” Tensei continues to babble, frustration apparent.

 

Koichi doesn’t understand the odd request at first, but then Tensei begins to explain. Koichi manages to remain calm, but he can’t help but shudder at the thought of Tensei’s little brother being butchered by _him._

 

“I know it’s a lot to ask and maybe I am overreacting, but he's hurt and he's angry. This is the first time I’ve ever felt so, so _helpless._ I can't do anything to help him _._ I can't even _talk_ to him”

 

Tensei grips his legs tightly.

 

_And he feels nothing._

 

Koichi watches for a second before putting a hand on his shoulder.

 

Tensei startles before looking up at Koichi.

 

It's something he's still not used to.

 

“I’ll keep an eye on him, I can adjust my patrol route so he’s closer in my sight. With my luck I'll probably run into Stendhal anyway. Guess its a long time coming though. I never understood why he disappeared so suddenly after that last fight.” He paused for a second not understanding why Tensei seemed to be confused.

 

“Stendhal?”

 

“Oh! That’s what he used to go by. Before Master messed up his nose. Guess he goes by Stain now, huh.” he chuckles humorlessly. 

 

Tensei had no idea the vigilante had a backstory with that monster.

 

“If I run into him, it definitely won’t be like last time.” Koichi says, arms flexing at a memory, his eyes subconsciously trailing down to his leg.

 

Tensei looks at him with a newfound admiration.

 

Feeling much calmer now, he looks up a Kouichi.

 

Koichi is seemingly lost in his head, not noticing Tensei’s observing gaze. Tensei finally realizes that Koichi’s wearing workout clothes, the seams around his neck are slightly damp. It wouldn’t surprise Tensei if he had been on a jog when he called from the looks of it. He’s traded out the tracksuit Tensei is used to for something more weather appropriate. Meaning he's in short everything, which also means more revealing. He can finally see the muscle Koichi has gained clearly. His legs were a lot thicker now and his arms toned. The shirt wasn't tight, but Tensei could occasionally see the outline of his abs when he twisted.

 

He needs to stop staring. 

 

Tensei looks down in an attempt to stop staring at Koichi 2.0, his eyes land on the younger man’s hands. They’re calloused now, or at least a lot more than Tensei remembers (which is admittedly a strange detail to remember, but you could tell a lot by looking at a person's hands. Tenya being the prime example of someone who talks with their hands.)

 

“I don’t remember your hands being this calloused” Tensei states, maybe a bit too eager for a distraction for his own thoughts.

 

Koichi stirs from his thoughts, scratching at his face in embarrassment before answering.

 

“I took up fighting with tonfas a while back? I won’t ever have master’s strength, and I still prefer hit and run tactics but after the whole Trigger incident I figured I could take up _something_ to help me fight” a sheepish smile once again gracing his face.

 

Kouichi moves behind him and grabs the handles of his wheelchair and begins pushing him away.

 

“Let’s go grab something to eat. I’ll tell you about the place I’m interning at.”

 

Tensei can’t help but mirror the smile he’s given.

 

He knows his life is going to be vastly different from now on. He can’t do active hero work anymore, can’t even _walk._ The regret of not being there for his brother is disquieting. He can feel the anxiety in his head waiting to eat him alive once Koichi leaves.

 

But for this moment he revels in the peace, in the soothing voice of Koichi telling him about his current internship.

 

He wants to believe in Tenya; wants to believe his brother _won’t_ go chasing after Stain.

 

But his gut tells him otherwise.

 

* * *

 

When Tensei hears about the attack in Hosu, all he can do is pray for their safety.


	5. Pacing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was mayhem. Fire consumed the streets, smoke rising from the streets making the scene look hazy. As if it was a horrible, terrifying nightmare. People were running in every possible direction, screams could be heard despite the height of the news helicopter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned from finals and con crunch. I bring you a new chapter.

**LIVE: HOSU UNDER ATTACK**

 

It was mayhem. Fire consumed the streets, the rising smoke making the scene look hazy. As if it was a horrible, terrifying nightmare. People were running in every possible direction trying to flee the scene, screams could be clearly heard despite the height of the news helicopter.

 

Some weren’t moving at all.

 

Actual living _ monsters _ were running rampant through the streets; brains exposed and beady eyes reacting to every sound and movement. Pro-heroes surrounded them only for some to be swatted away like flies. One swoops down and carries one pro off before dropping them, everything seems to slow before they are finally caught, narrowly avoiding splattering all over the ground.  

 

Tensei grips the armrest, knuckles white and face full of horror and desperation.

 

He watches the news with rapt attention, looking for signs of Koichi or his brother. He doesn’t see them at all. He wants to believe that no news is good news, but if Tenya was going after Stain…

 

The camera angle changed various times as the helicopter flees certain scenes; the destruction of Hosu worsening at every turn. He sees pro-hero after pro-hero join the fight. Some are minimizing the damages being done to the city, others are engaging these  _ creatures  _ in combat, w hile the rest shield the evacuating citizens. He realizes various things at once.

 

He sees Manuel at the scene, doing his best to put out the fires. 

 

He doesn’t see Tenya.

 

He should be out there.

 

He should be out there  _ helping. _

 

_ He shouldn’t be stuck in a wheelchair; _ **_useless._**

 

_ His little brother should be by his side and not missing from Manuel’s. _

 

He forces his jaw to relax and takes a shuddering breath as he continues to watch the broadcast; feeling sorry for himself helps no one. That doesn’t stop the anxiety from consuming him. His nerves feel frozen and there is a stinging in his chest and faintly he realizes that he’s gripping his legs now and he still feels **_nothing_** _._

 

He considers turning off the broadcast, but he knows that wouldn’t help.

 

And then he see Tenya.

 

He’s with a pro-hero he doesn’t recognize, beside them he sees Endeavor’s youngest son and Endeavor himself. 

 

And then there was Stain.

 

He standing, seems to be shouting to the crowd. Behind him he sees one of those beasts dead on the ground, a small green clad figure a few feet away from it on the ground. Tensei doesn't know what to think, holding his breath, and then suddenly Stain was being apprehended and Tenya is rushing forward to (who he assumes is) Midoriya alongside Todoroki.

 

Tensei finally lets himself breath.

 

They were okay. They were injured, but none of them looked close to death.

 

_ Thank god. _

 

He deflates a bit as he sees them ushered away, the camera leaving once again to record other sections of the city. The villains have begun retreating, many of the creatures are being put in chains, now that they are strangely docile. 

 

The attack lasted little less than an hour, but to Tensei it seemed to go on for eons. He doesn’t want to imagine the list of casualties later, he only hopes its kept to a minimum, but he’s glad Tenya isn’t one of them, and as far as he can tell, neither were his friends.

 

All that was left was to hope Koichi contacts him soon.

* * *

 

When Tenya is brought to the same hospital as him, Tensei isn’t sure what to feel. On one hand he was relieved; he’d be able to easily check up on Tenya and  _ see  _ that he was okay. On the other hand, he was _ beyond  _ infuriated with the little idiot and he feared blowing up at him the moment he lays eye on him _. _

 

He let out a sigh, sagging into his chair.

 

He wasn’t allowed to visit him yet anyway, so he had time to figure it out.

 

The TV has long since been turned off, he couldn’t bear to watch them report t he casualties and injuries any more than he had from the night before. Sleep had come fitfully for him and many others, but Hosu was no longer in a state of panic. The demons that had haunted the streets have either been contained or retrieved by their leader, the majority of the injured were being attended to in the emergency tents before being shipped off to the hospitals. All that was left now was the cleanup.

 

It was a clusterfuck to say the least. In all his years, Tensei has never seen a villain attack of _this_ scale and he has no idea what to think. He can’t help the pang of self-hatred that carves its way into his chest. Of all the times for him to have been taken out of commission it had to be when shit was hitting the fan.

 

**_Useless._ **

 

He spends the rest of the day alternating between roaming the hospital’s halls and checking his phone. He won’t be able to see Tenya until after the interviews, and that was only if luck had any favors left to give him.

 

Maybe it was for the best.

 

He still hasn’t heard from Koichi.

 

He opens up their text conversation, the last message Tensei had received only stated that the younger man was going on patrol. He stares at the message, questioning whether it would be alright to send a message.  It wouldn’t surprise him at all if the man had spent the night trying to track the villains that escaped. He didn’t want to risk distracting Koichi if he was patrolling a hideout and potentially give his location away if his phone wasn’t silenced. 

 

More than anything he feared not getting a response at all.

 

He can’t help but think that maybe Koichi had been added to the body count or was off in some hospital on death’s door. Maybe he had been buried in the rubble and had yet to be found. Tensei takes a shuddering breath, and vaguely begins to wonder when he had started doing this so often. He doesn’t remember being in a frequent state of worry or panic; dislikes the feeling of utter self-loathing when before he felt like he was a relatively confident man.

 

The last few weeks have definitely taken a toll on his psyche, though he’s loathed to admit it.

 

He looks back down at the screen and decides the best course of action would be to just send a text. He’s aware that no matter which course of action he takes, he’ll be on edge regardless. Best to take the course that at least has a chance of settling his nerves. He keeps it short, simply asking if the other is okay. The temptation to add more is there of course, but he ignores is thoroughly. The worry of potentially sabotaging him shrinks, Koichi’s smart enough to either silence his phone, if not leave it behind entirely. Which, admittedly would suck if it turns out to be the later choice.

 

He hits sends and plays the waiting game again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its a bit shorter than previous chapters, but it still met my usual goal of 1k.
> 
> I went to Comic Con on Saturday, I cosplayed as Shigaraki, I posted some photos on tumble @satanic-yogurt if anyone is interested. Feel free to talk to me!


	6. Regretting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special shout out to the great Milksalt for helping me with this chapter.  
> Hopefully it feels a bit more realistic and less melodramatic, which is why this took a bit longer (my wifi issues aside).  
> But I'm a dramatic person sooo c'est la vie  
> Get ready for poorly written angst.

Tensei makes his way down the hall, pushing the wheels of his chair as fast as he dares.

 

It's been two days, but today, he’d finally be able to see Tenya.

 

A mix of excitement and anger courses through him as he thinks about all the things he wants to say to Tenya. He remembers the storm of emotions he felt that night watching Tenya emerge from that alleyway, Without realizing, Tensei gets lost in his own head and nearly runs over a few nurses as he angrily pushes past them. He throws quick apologies back at them as they huff back. If his engines spark a bit as he hurries along, no one bothers to question him.

 

When he arrives at the door however, he’s greeted by a vaguely familiar face.

 

Tanema stands in front of him, effectively blocking the door to Tenya’s room. He gives Tensei an apologetic glance as he watches him approach. He quietly informs him that he can’t let anyone in while the police chief was talking to the UA students inside. Tensei tenses up immediately in confusion. What exactly happened to warrant the _Chief of Police_ to come speak to them _directly_.

 

There’s only one likely answer his mind can conjure, be it from anxiety or logic, he doesn’t know. He at least had hoped that if Tenya was going to go after Stain, he would’ve done it alongside a pro, be it his mentor or not.

 

“They’re the ones who took down Stain, not Endeavor” Tensei whispers dreadfully, resting his face in his hands. Silently, he hoped for the man to deny it truthfully.

 

Tanema grimaces, and Tensei knows that he’s hit the money. Tanema beckons him over to listen in. Tensei has never been nosy, but if it’s one thing the last few weeks has made clear, it’s the new emerging sides of himself ( _and the growing urge to run his dumb little brother over_.)

 

Tensei listens in for a few minutes; there are several voices he doesn’t recognize. He’s obviously missed some things, but he understands general gist of the conversation. The two heroes in charge of the other boys have had penalties placed on them; one of them getting their teaching license revoked. Endeavor is to take the credit for the incident to avoid legal troubles on the boy’s behalf, since it would be a shame for them to be penalized for being what they aspire to be. When Tensei feels the conversation ending, he backs away from the door, careful to avoid hitting it with his chair. Tanema nervously hovers with his hand outstretched, ready to help, but once Tensei is a decent distance away, the older detective is giving him a thumbs-up before schooling his face.

 

The door opens.

 

Out comes the Police Chief, accompanied by Manuel and -from what he’s gathered- Gran Torino. He’s older than what Tensei expected, but then again, it’s not like their forced to retire. Hell, his own grandfather had only recently retired at the ripe age of _70_.

 

The three share a few last words before going their separate ways.

 

The chief looks over at him and gives him a small nod and what Tensei assumes is an apologetic look. The expression he wears makes him looks kind of like a kicked puppy. “You’re free to enter now, Ingenium, apologies for the holdup”

 

“It’s no problem, really” he replies.

 

Tanema gives him a small wave before pulling out a cigarette and leaving alongside the Chief.

 

Tensei stares at the door for a moment, before sighing and wheeling over. He still doesn’t know how to feel but the need to check on Tenya is the only consistent thing he’s been feeling. He knocks on the door lightly before leaning forward and opening it. He’s greeted by a somber atmosphere. He sees Tenya sitting down next to Midoriya and Todoroki stands in front of them, they seem to be deep in thought. For a moment Tensei considers closing the door and postponing having to deal with the situation. Ultimately, he doesn’t, cause he’s an adult and being an adult sucks.

 

“Tenya” he says softly.

 

Said boy looks up, clearly startled.

 

“Brother?”

 

Tensei can see the myriad of emotions that adorn Tenya’s face and he can’t help but feel guilty and indignant at the same time. He does his best to push those emotions aside, instead focusing on the three boys all together. He gives them a kind but tired smile.  

 

“How are you three holding out?” he asks instead, observing the various wounds they’ve obtained.

 

Midoriya and Todoroki startle as well, unsure of what to make of the situation in its entirety. Tenya stares at him with a blank expression. Todoroki looks on with uncertainty, as if unsure how to approach another human being. Sensing the apprehension, Midoriya takes charge of the situation.  

 

“I think we’re all holding out okay? We aren’t severely injured as far as we are aware of. ” his voice is meek, questioning if it’s his place to even answer at all.

 

He reminds Tensei a bit of Koichi.

 

“That’s great! I’m glad you three made it out intact. I’m sorry you had to deal with such a situation so early into your hero careers” he say morosely.

 

Tenya seems to snap out of it before approaching his brother, he opens his mouth, but ultimately says nothing. He stands there for a few moments, unshed tears collecting in his eyes.

 

“Let’s go for a walk” Tenya nods solemnly, he throws a quick glance at his friends who seem equal measures of worried and awkward before following his older brother.

  


Slowly, they make their way down towards the elevators. Tenya follows behind him, shoulders crumpled in front of him. Tensei glances at him from the corner of his eye.  

 

The elevator ride is silent, Tenya stands behind his brother nestled in the corner. When the elevator stops he waits for his brother to exit before stepping out. Tensei leads them to the garden doing his best to find a quiet spot for them to talk. When they arrive, Tenya sits on a bench while Tensei parks his chair next to him. They sit for a moment, Tensei doing his best to sort his thoughts. The silence drags on, and his little brother has his eyes glued to the floor.  


He doesn’t know how to start this conversation. So he starts with the summary of it all.

 

 **“** I’m disappointed in you, Tenya” he began.

 

Beside him, he hears his little brother’s breath hitch.

 

“I’ve always told you to talk to me whenever you weren’t feeling alright. Maybe I should’ve been more clear about that, instead of trying to distract you. I’m sorry I didn’t try harder.”  


_I was useless._

 

“Brother, its not-” he protested. Tensei didn’t let him continue.

 

“I have to own up to my own shortcomings. But Tenya, I told you _not_ to take the internship in Hosu, and you ignored me. I sent you countless texts and you left them unread because you already knew what they said. I told mom and dad to talk you out of it and you _lied_ to them about your intentions. You ignored and discarded _all_ of it.”

 

He can see Tenya trembling besides him. 

 

“I’m hurt and infuriated with you because you put yourself in danger. I know you Tenya, and I know Endeavor wasn’t the one who confronted Stain. I know you’ve had intentions of going after him from the start. You were blinded by anger and you put yourself in front of that monster for what!? Revenge? You could’ve **_died,_ ** Tenya!” he roared, hands gripping at his legs.

 

His voice cracks, tears collect in his eyes. His grip loosens and he holds his head in his hands.

 

“ _You could’ve died_ and where would that have left us? Mom can’t take another heartbreak. Dad would’ve blamed himself for encouraging us to be in heroics and me? I would’ve lived with the piling guilt of being the reason that started this entire mess. I couldn't be the hero you needed me to be” he sobs.

  


Tenya hangs his head in shame and finally the tears he’s been holding back begin to fall.

 

Tensei reaches over carefully and pulls him into his arms. They stay like that, sobbing and holding each other tight. Slowly, Tensei rubs his back and his grip tightens on his shirt.

 

“ _I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry Tensei, I really am, brother I’m sorry_ ” He bawls, over and over again.

 

Tensei shushes him quietly and lays his head on top of Tenya’s.

 

“I know. I know you regret it. I know you’ve already learned from your mistakes. I’m just glad you’re alive and okay. We’re both here and we’re **_alive_ **.” Tenya squeezes him tighter and chokes another sob back.

 

Tensei continues rubbing his back, they stay like that for a while, simply holding each other. They sat in a sad, but comforting silence. Eventually, Tenya sits up straight and rubs his eyes, taking a deep breath to compose himself. Tensei smiles at him and rubs his head. Tenya is surprised but gives him a small smile in return. Tensei takes a moment to wipe at his own face and laughs lightly.

 

“Boy do we look a mess. How about we go grab your partners in crime and see if the cafeteria actually has anything good?” he asks kindly.

 

“That sounds nice” he responds, silently offering to push his chair. Tensei nods with a small, exhausted smile.

 

They start their walk back to Tenya’s shared room. Tensei fidgets slightly, not sure what to do with himself at this point. He decides he’s had enough of silence.

 

“Recklessness aside, it’s really damn impressive that the three of you took down that shit stain. What sort of super vitamins is Aizawa giving you guys? Where do I get me some of those?”

 

“Brother! Language!” Tenya says on impulse. “While I do believe Midoriya and Todoroki could’ve held their own during the fight, we weren’t alone.” he continues.

 

“Oh yeah, I did see a pro-hero with you guys on the news. Native, right?” Tensei asks, he’s met with Tenya shaking his head.

 

“While Native was in fact present, he wasn’t the one who helped us. The one who helped us was wearing a hoodie, he had some sort of nightsticks? Stain kept calling him ‘Crawler’, I believe he was a vigilante?”

 

Tensei breath falters for a second, Tenya doesn’t seem to notice.

 

“Really now, what happened to him?” he forces out, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

 

“The fight between him and the Hero Killer was... intense. It… it was frightening to say the least. He took quite a few injuries, but he left once we had Stain incapacitated...” Tenya trails off suddenly, and Tensei looks at him curiously.

 

“He told me to say hi to you for him?” Tenya says, a look of confusion clouding his features.

 

Tensei isn’t sure whether he wants to laugh or cry again.

 

Damn mood swings.

 

He ends up laughing, tears collecting in his eyes, but he's alright. He feels relieved for now.

 

The look of confusion on Tenya’s face grows. It’s like he has two puzzle pieces that fit together but are from completely different puzzle. There’s a connection, but he has no idea where. For now, he’s content to just let it be as Tensei launches into a story of how he met the vigilante. He decides not to question it, not when the last of the tension seems to have left his older brother’s shoulders.

 

Tenya still makes sure to remind his brother that vigilantism is illegal. Tensei just chuckles as he waves him off with an amused _I know._ Together, they make their way back, bantering lightly.

 

Things aren’t going to go back to how they were, but Tensei is pretty sure things will get better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Koichi oh where oh where has he gone.  
> So with this chapter, I have finally reached all of my pre-written chapters. The next chapter might be a bit of a wait since I'm torn between Tensei running Koichi over or having some semblance of normality in this fic.


	7. Bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took far longer than it should've but alas, it is here. It still feels kinda sloppy, but I know if I keep trying to edit this it'll never get done. I'm at least kinda satisfied with this.  
> I really was planning on having his be the last chapter, but things went off course again.  
> Whoops  
> (Spoiler?) In other news, I feel proud in the fact that I seem to be characterizing Koichi fairly well in terms of thought process. As of the latest Vigilantes update, Koichi has in fact at least thought of taking up a weapon for self defense.

True to his word, after retrieving his wallet from his own room, the pair of siblings went to gather Tenya’s friends.

 

After the initial check, they realized there was nothing appetizing in the hospital’s cafeteria. Which, he honestly should’ve expected, he’s been here for far longer than he’s ever wanted to be in a hospital. Instead, they decide to head over to the gift shop; at least the gift shop has candy.

 

He can already hear his doctor.

 

He spends the trip across talking to Tenya and his friends, or rather, he spends time answering Midoriya’s onslaught of questions. The green haired boys asks him about everything from his experiences and his quirk. Tensei is left awestruck for a moment when Midoriya begins breaking down his quirk. He has a new found respect for the boy. Tensei said he was intelligent, and a fanboy. Tensei just never really thought about to what extent. 

 

Its oddly refreshing, still being admired as a hero despite his current condition. Maybe Tsukauchi was onto something about not being forgotten.

 

But man, does this boy have a lot of questions. It’s kinda overwhelming.

 

So, in an attempt to throw the boy off, he decides to ask Midoriya if he could apply to be a car, curious to see his opinion on the matter. It works. Better than expect. The three teens sputter at the notion before dissolving into snickers, Midoriya does his best to answer the question seriously though. He even takes a moment to look up the requirements. He turns his answer to Todoroki, egging him into the conversation. The boy pauses, then answers yes without an explanation.

 

He can see Tenya trying to shake off the second hand embarrassment while Todoroki watches with amusement.

 

Before anything can escalate further, they arrive at the gift shop. Tensei pulls out his wallet and grabs the biggest bag of chocolates he could find along with a small box of donuts. Tenya looks at him with mild disgust, debating whether he should allow him to have so many sweets. Tensei encourages them to grab some stuff, pointedly ignoring Tenya’s disapproving stare. Midoriya and Todoroki both look uncomfortable; he lightly pushes them forward with a smile. Slowly, they go about grabbing their own treats.

 

Midoriya makes his way over to the cooler and pulls out a Popsicle, the packaging has a picture of All Might on the front, he can’t help but picture the deformity it’ll have. On the other hand, Todoroki grabs wasabi filled chocolates and a small package of konpeitō. It’s a strange combination, but to each their own. To no one’s surprise,Tenya grabs an orange juice and a packet of rice crackers. When he’s all done he tells them to put them on the counter.  


Balancing his goods on his lap, Tensei carefully wheels himself to the counter. Opening his wallet, he does a quick estimate and takes cash to pay for the snacks. Before long, they’re sat in the lobby eating. Tensei offers a doughnut to the three of them and is silently pleased when they all decline. When Midoriya opens his ice cream, the All Might popsicle looks nothing like picture shown on the front (and the world just feels right). It reminds him of all the times he’d make fun of them for Tenya’s amusement.

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen All Might look so delicious” he says sarcastically, earning him a startled snort from the boys. They all look at him bewildered, which has him cackling. Midoriya temporarily reconsiders eating the treat, while Todoroki is hiding his face in amusement.

 

Tenya looks like he wants to shrivel up from the embarrassment.

 

The conversation starts back up again after a moment. Tensei decides to simply listen this time around. Once again, Midoriya takes charge of the conversation. Todoroki slowly eats his konpeitō as he makes small contributions to the conversation. Tenya speaks animatedly but is mindful of his volume.

 

It’s comforting to Tensei, this small sense of normality.

* * *

 

After a while, Midoriya leaves to call his mother. He apologizes as he runs off. Todoroki leaves soon after, saying he has a check up soon. It wouldn’t surprise Tensei if the boy was just feeling awkward. Tenya and Tensei are left alone in the lobby, the tension returns slightly. Neither knowing what to do at the moment. Their earlier conversation still fresh on their mind. Tensei hates it, he’s never felt like this around his brother before. He feels like he should be able to manage emotions better than this, he’s an adult, but he’s at an impasse.

 

“I heard mom came to see you yesterday. She stopped by real quick, before leaving. How was she when you saw her?”

 

Tenya looks at him momentarily with a distressed face. “She was understandably upset. She does not know of the circumstances, unlike you. She was relieved to see I was...mostly unharmed. She wasn’t completely satisfied with the results”

 

Oh boy, round two.

 

Tensei raises his eyebrows, “Define mostly”

 

Tenya presses his lips together, he looks at Tensei, a small look of refusal on his face. Tensei gives him a nudge. “We just talked about this, Tenya. Talk to me.”

 

With a deep sigh, Tenya tells him about the nerve damage to his arm. He tells him about how it won’t affect his moment, but how it’ll feel numb at times if not permanently. He explains the option for surgery and his choice to not undergo it just yet. He throws a cautious glance towards Tensei, fully expecting to get chewed out, but ready to defend himself.

 

Honestly, for a hot second, it pisses Tensei off. He has the option to get his arm fixed but he’s refusing to do it. It feels like an insult. He knows it isn’t, logically, but Tenya has the _**choice** and Tensei doesn’t and he’s refusing it.  _ He has the choice to get better; has the choice to better his health.  The thought is bitter in his mouth.  Tensei _doesn’t_ have that choice. He’s sure there’s a quirk out there that could probably reverse the damage to his leg, but quirks like that are rare. Healing quirks in general are rare, let alone ones that can completely reverse damage.

 

He doesn't have that choice.

 

Not yet.

 

He latches onto that thought. _Not yet_. He’s ashamed of himself. Hope isn’t lost yet, he shouldn’t be thinking otherwise, no matter how hard. Tenya watches him with hesitance and unease. Tensei considers telling him how he feels. It feels selfish to keep it bottled in. Not after telling Tenya to talk to him. Maybe he won't tell him the full extent, but it’s only right he does the same. He should practice what he preaches. Tenya deserves that level of respect from him.

 

He isn't sure if Tenya still looks up to him, but he should still be a good role model. He  _wants_ to be a good role model despite this.

 

Even if it means not seeming invincible. 

 

He sighs “I’m gonna be honest, I think it’s foolish to not undergo the surgery now, but I guess it is a good reminder. A good goal. As long as it won’t affect anything else. The moment it impairs your movement I’m throwing you into the ER myself. I want you to take care of yourself above all else” He finishes sternly, but not unkind.

 

Tenya nods seriously. “I will not play with my health to such extents. But, I want to keep this as a reminder of that. I swear, the moment it becomes more than numbness, I will undergo the surgery.”

 

Tensei believes him. With a pleased hum, Tensei holds up his fist. Tenya smiles at him softly before bumping his fist against it.

 

“Thank you for understanding, Tensei.”

 

“No need to thank me, really. That's what big brother's are for!”

 

Tenya lets out a small laugh. Tensei grabs a few chocolates from his bag and hands them to Tenya. To his surprise, Tenya takes them and actually eats them. All of them. Every single one. Granted, it isn’t many, but this is Tenya the health nut. Tenya who makes Tensei look unfit. Tenya who hate the equivalent of a full sized chocolate bar.

 

“Oho, have I finally rubbed off on you? Have you learned to indulge?” Tenya, in a show of imaturity, swats at him.

 

“Sugar is necessary for the body to function properly!” Tenya says, blushing, doing his best to defend himself. 

 

Tensei snickers “Here I thought you functioned off of oil and electricity”

 

“I am not a robot!”

 

“Could’ve fooled me”

 

“Tensei!”

 

Tensei cackles as he watches his brother sputter out words followed by erratic hand movements. No matter how old they get, this never will.   

 

“It’s good to see you boys laughing so hard” a voice says behind them, followed by a deeper voice chuckling.

 

Both boys turn around to the sight of their parents. For the first time in a while, the two of them look genuinely happy. They walk through the lobby with smiles on their faces. Though, that doesn’t stop their father from scolding them. More specifically him.

 

“You two shouldn’t be making a ruckus in the lobby, and Tensei you shouldn’t be eating so much sugar. I hope you haven’t eaten all of that by yourself.” he says; the scolding is offset by the fond look forcing its way onto his face however.

 

“Tenya had some… and I offered some sweets to his friends earlier.” It’s not a total lie, he did offer them donuts. He doesn’t have to say they didn’t accept. And that he ate them. Alone. Along with a good chunk of his chocolate.

 

He can practically see the exclamation mark over Tenya’s head. He hears his mother giggle, clearly understanding what the reaction means. His father looks unamused and gives him a pointed look.

 

“I never said they accepted.”

 

His father sighs. “I never could get you to kick that vice”

 

Tensei smiles sheepishly and laughs. His father bops him on his head, much like Tenya did. He reaches over and confiscates a few. He'll probably give them to his wife later for her own enjoyment. She makes a notion towards her husband, signaling that they should go up. His mom moves behind his chair with a smile, silently asking for permission to push him. He nods. She starts pushing him towards the elevators, the other two males following behind. She begins telling stories from Tensei's childhood. She tells them about the Halloween where he fell asleep on top of a pile of candy. Tenya listens with rapt attention and lightly pokes fun at him.

 

It's the verbal equivalent of breaking out the baby albums, he groans playfully.

 

For the first time in weeks, the Iida family laughs and smiles happily, untainted by sadness.

 

It’s a good day.

* * *

 

_He watches from the entrance with a fond smile on his face._

_He sees them laughing and leave._

_He turns around and decides,_

_Not today._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter might actually be the last.  
> Then, I might write an epilogue, or a side story.  
> Would anyone be interested in seeing me flounder with the fight between Koichi and Stain?


	8. Reconciling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have finally finished this story! The last chapter will probably go up tomorrow.  
> If there's any mistakes let me know! I've edited this for the most part, but it's late so there is a chance I missed something or accidentally deleted a word.

Tensei wheels himself to his doctor’s office, steadily making progress down the hall. 

 

He’s due for his weekly checkup.

 

When he arrives, the door is cracked open.

 

He peaks in.

 

His doctor sits behind a wooden desk, shuffling documents around. Tensei creeps forward into the office hesitantly, uncertain if he should enter yet. Noticing movement, Dr. Ryu looks up. He tells Tensei to come in. Tensei pushes himself forward and closes the door behind him. Dr. Ryu shuffles through his papers one last time, pulling out a couple and setting them aside. While he grabs a folder, he tells Tensei to remove his shirt.

          

Tensei removes his shirt as per the doctor instructions. The doctor grabs a stool and settles in front of him. He fidgets as the doctor observes the various wounds over his torso.

 

“They’re just about fully healed, if the stitches on your head are doing just as good you’ll be released soon enough. For these however, this should be the last healing session.” he says.

 

The doctor grabs a few jars of ointment, quickly reading their labels before carefully applying them to the wounds. He taps each area, activating his quirk. The salve begins to glow as the effects of the ointment are sped up. The areas begin to tingle after a few seconds.

 

It kind of tickles.

 

The skin glows dimly as effects of the quirk begin to fade. Once the ointment is absorbed, He looks down to fully examine the wounds, by now they have healed into scars. The skin around them looks like a fresh new pink.

 

His doctor looks tired after the use of his quirk. The man drinks from the large travel mug on his desk, which Tensei knows if filled with some sort of caffeinated beverage. It’s fascinating how he seems to come alive again after taking a few sips. He would argue that is how his quirk functions, but Tensei would say it’s mostly a fib.

 

“Alright, let’s look at your noggin, Iida” the doctor says after a moment of rest. He makes his way behind the chair, carefully unwrapping the bandages around his head.

 

He examines them for a moment, assessing the state they’re in before replying.

 

“Everything seems to be healed correctly. Now that the skin has healed, I’ll be able to take the staples out tomorrow. I’ll have you keep the bandages off from now on. I can’t do much about the scar right now, but your hair will mostly cover it.” He tells Tensei as he jots down his notes.

 

“If they’re removed tomorrow morning, I’ll give you a quick check up to ensure everything is alright. After that you’re free to go.” he says, a smile on his face.

 

“Really? That’s great!” he replies with excitement. The doctor chuckles lightly.

 

“Well that’s all I needed you for, Iida. You’re free to go now.” He says.

 

Tensei thanks him as he turns to leave.

 

“Before you go, I do have to advise you to watch your sugar intake”

 

Tensei freezes for a second before sheepishly chuckling, “Not as sneaky as I thought I was, huh?”

 

“Not at all, Though I do admit, we all have our vices. Take care.”

 

With that, he makes his way out of the office, embarrassment still fresh on his face.

* * *

 

The one most excited by the news is probably Tenya.

 

Which is saying something, since his mom nearly cried when he called to let her know.

 

When he arrives, he’s greeted by the sight of his little brother packing the few belongings he had during his stay at the hospital. Seeing as he wasn’t going to go through with the surgery, and his other injuries are no longer as prevalent, they decided he was fit to go home. His arm is in a sling and he’s been told not to use it for a few more days, in turn this leads to him being unable to close his bag.

 

He nudges Tenya over, reaching for the bag. Tenya complies with his silent command and moves over a bit. Tensei straightens the contents of the bag a bit and he can see the relief flood Tenya’s face. While he does this, he tells him about his appointment.

 

Tenya’s face is the brightest it’s ever been.  

 

He conveys his excitement to Tensei and tells him about all the changes their parents have made to the house to help accommodate him.

 

Tensei’s... honestly taken aback by this, he never put much thought into how his life would change once he was out of the hospital. It’s strange to think about now, when only weeks ago he wasn’t even sure he would make it home. If he’s being frank, he’s probably been too scared to consider how his personal life would change now. In the hospital he could always just brush off his legs as a disease rather than a… life changing factor. He knows this can’t stand any longer, he’s going to have to face the music.

 

He asks Tenya about the changes.

 

“Nothing has drastically changed to the interior. The bathroom closest to your room has been remodeled to be a walk-in bath, and at mother’s insistence, a non-slip mat has been added. The bath already has rails installed. Father has also turned a part of the steps in the foyer into a ramp, he says you can use your quirk to get up it with no problem” Tenya paused, checking to see if he follows.

 

Tensei nods, Tenya continues.

 

“Mother has been thinking about other things she should add around the house. She considered changing your bed or perhaps adding a trapeze, but she said she would ask you once you were home.  She’s also taken the liberty of gathering some of your belongings from your apartment. She’s been quite frantic about having things ready.”

 

Right, his apartment. His apartment that isn’t very accessible currently.

 

“Guess I’m going to have to move, no use keeping an apartment in a building that has no elevator” he says.

 

“I can supervise the gathering of your things” Tenya says, giving him a thumbs up.

 

“With you supervising I’m sure nothing will get misplaced” Tensei says and Tenya beams with pride.

 

Tensei pats Tenya’s back. “Well, for now, you have to get going, so let’s hustle!”

 

Tenya smiles softly and nods. He turns back to his bag and verifies that he has everything.

 

“Will you come down with me to the lobby? Grandfather is coming to get me today”

 

“Really now? He hates the hospital”

 

Tenya chuckles at that “he does, but mother and father are on hero business today”

 

“May as well go say hi before he drags you out.”

 

* * *

 

Their grandfather awaits in the lobby, visibly grumpy about being there.

 

He stands in the lobby, wearing slacks and a button up, which is to be expected of an older Japanese gentleman he guesses. They see his face lighten a bit as they approach him. He reaches out a hand and pats Tenya’s shoulder, before giving Tenya a light scolding for not being more careful.

 

The encounter is brief overall. Before they leave, Tensei informs his grandfather of the news. He is joyful at the news to say the least. He pats Tensei on the head and ruffled his hair a bit. He tells him to behave, before lightly hitting Tenya with his cane, telling him to get moving.

 

 “I’ll see you in a couple of days, brat. Don’t cause anyone trouble” his grandfather says to him before leaving. Tenya waves goodbye before taking off before him.  

 

Tensei watches them go and lingers in the lobby for a few minutes after. He checks the time on his phone before realizing it’s still the early afternoon. Without much else to do, Tensei makes his way over to a vending machine outside the gift shop. He gets himself a canned coffee before wheeling himself outside.

 

Outside there are a few small awnings littered around the entrance. There are various other patients hanging around. Most of them are accompanied by family members and a few by nurses. The nurses that are currently on break occupy a few of the short cement benches, either eating or simply chatting with coworkers.

 

Eyes landing on a quiet spot, Tensei makes his way over to the side of the building and parks his chair. He cracks open his can of coffee and pulls out his phone. He spends the better part of the hour enjoying the weather with a can of coffee he hardly touches and scrolling through his phone. Eventually, his thoughts are interrupted by the sound of footsteps and a shadow looming over him.

 

Tensei looks up from his phone to see the owner of the shadow.

 

“I, uh, got you a coffee” he stutters “I guess you have one already”

 

Tensei stares at Koichi, who is holding two paper cups of coffee along with a bag of food. He looks every bit as awkward as Tensei feels. He also looks every bit roughed up as Tensei expected. His fingers are scratched up; his left forearm is covered in bandages. Small cuts litter what is exposed of his right arm, with a few scratches on his face that look mostly healed. His lip has a cut on the corner, and has the remnants of a black eye, the bruising having begun to fade into a greenish yellow. He probably has various others scattered about his body.

 

“Fresh coffee is always better” Tensei says as he reaches for the drink.

 

Koichi relaxes a bit at the statement, as he hands one of the cups to Tensei.

 

“I also brought some milk bread and dorayaki… as a peace offering”

 

Tensei raises his eyebrow in amusement.

 

“That’s _sweet_ of you” he replies

 

Koichi groans at that.

 

They’re quiet for a moment as Koichi gathers his thoughts, Tensei waits and sips at his coffee. He watches Koichi as the younger male opens his mouth before closing it and swallowing nervously. His fingers twitch and his hands raise at random as he starts a word before immediately cutting it off. Every explanation he can think of never seems to be quite right.  

 

“I almost didn’t get there in time for Tenya” he starts, quivering

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t find him sooner. I lost track of him in the chaos and so many people needed help and by the time I found them… it was almost too late” He sucks in a breath, gaze cast downwards.

 

Tensei puts down his coffee before patting his arm gently. The thought crushes him, but he can’t imagine the worry Koichi must have felt that night. Tensei has rarely been in the situation where he has failed to save someone, but he has been there. It’s a soul-crushing experience.

 

“But you weren’t. No one expected the League to take action that night, and what I asked of you, that, that was already a such a _huge_ favor. Even with all that happening, you still protected him. You protected him, and I am so grateful. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for that. So please, don’t apologize, Koichi” Tensei pleads.

 

Koichi raises his gaze to meet Tensei’s, the ‘what-ifs’ and regrets still lingering on his mind. Tensei squeezes his arm reassuringly. Koichi closes his eyes and goes still, before opening them and giving him a thankful smile, demonstrating just how _strong_ h _e_ ’s become.

 

It’s easy to forget sometimes that Koichi isn’t a licensed hero.

 

“I was worried about you, you know. I at least got to see Tenya on the news, but I caught no sight of you” he says morosely.

 

Koichi feel his cheeks heat up in shame as he stumbles to explain.

 

“My phone got destroyed during the fight, so I left a message with your brother, but I’m not even sure if he told you, I wouldn’t blame him if it slipped his mind, you know the situation being what it was… I got a new one?” he rambles out eventually, voice slowly trailing off.

 

He certainly doesn’t feel like he’s making the situation better.

 

He isn’t sure whether Tensei scoffs at him or chokes out a disbelieving laugh.

 

He honestly isn’t sure which would be better either. He’s just going to hope it’s the latter.

 

“Your grand message was ‘Hi’ Koichi” Tensei says.

 

Koichi scratches the back of his neck sheepishly.

 

“Probably not the greatest of messages?”

 

“No kidding”

 

“In my defense, he doesn’t know _I’m_ the crawler, I panicked! I _was_ going to call for someone to get Stain before texting you but yeah...” he finishes lamely.

 

Lips quirking just a bit, Tensei tells him it’s alright.

 

“Thanks, Koichi, really. For watching Tenya and trying to let me know you both were okay. I don’t think I could ever thank you enough”

 

Most importantly, he’s glad Koichi is safe. The boulder of worry has rolled off his shoulders one and for all.

 

Koichi waves him off, going behind his chair. With a small huff, Tensei lets go of the breaks.

 

“How about we go eat these sweets in your room for now? Or we could go to the garden? My legs are killing me”

 

“Let’s go to our usual spot in the garden it’s nice out.”

* * *

 

 

They sit and talk for a while about the events of the last few weeks.

 

Koichi explains that he went to help evacuation efforts after they had Stain detained. He was cautious at first leaving them behind with him, but Todoroki reassured him that other heroes would be on their way. Not to mention, by then Native had regained his ability to move. He had considered calling Knuckleduster to help, but the man was in a different prefecture and with the lack of transportation, he doubted he would be able to arrive. This was around the same time he realized his phone was as good as done for.

 

He got into a few more fights with criminals trying to take advantage of the situation, but mostly stuck to getting people to safe zones and away from the rampaging Noumus

 

Afterwards, when things had calmed down, not wanting to further clog up the emergency tents, he decided to go to Pop’s apartment a few towns over to steal some first aid supplies. Not his greatest idea. Kazuho freaked out, taking him to the closest medical facility in her area. He tried to tell her he was fine, but she wasn’t having it, considering he had ‘ _been stabbed in the leg **again** by this freak and hasn’t bothered to deal with it_ ’.

 

 He had to get stitches and she kept him hostage for a few days to make sure he didn’t walk around too much.

 

She was nice enough to get him a new phone in that time at least.

 

“At least now I have sort of matching scars”

 

Tensei shakes his head in exasperation the entire time through, occasionally laughing at Pop’s antics. In return, he tells Koichi about how thing have been with Tenya since his admission. He tells him about the utter confusion on Tenya’s face when passing on his message. Koichi can’t help but let out a chuckle. In addition, for the fourth time that day, he relays the message from his doctor. Koichi becomes thoughtful when Tensei tells him.

 

“Your sidekicks haven’t been allowed to see you right? No one knows you’re here, right? I mean, _I’m_ only here because of Tsukauichi, after all. You know, now that it comes to mind, I’m surprised your family hasn’t come to threaten me” he jokes.

 

Tensei rolls his eyes jokingly “I don’t know, that day Tenya looked just about ready to fight you when you said you were looking for me. But no, none of them have been cleared. Plus, I’m sure they’re busy at the agency.”

 

Koichi nods at him, Tensei doesn’t think much of it. Everyone knows he cares for his team and vice versa. He’s reassured of this by the various messages on his phone. Most of them were worried and would’ve liked to have visited. Maybe he’ll drop by sometime during the week.

 

They chat for a little longer about nonsensical things, exchanging phone numbers again. Koichi promises to memorize his number this time around. Just in case. It’s a thoughtful thing, and if Koichi notices his faint blush, he doesn’t say anything past his own red cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I made a side blog, [PsychologicalColors](https://psychologicalcolors.tumblr.com/)
> 
> So far I've just posted my fanfics and a rant on Voltron (though, not about what you'd expect probably). I might take requests at some point in the future, depending on how busy Uni gets.


	9. Ending, Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100% cliche, 100% self indulgent

All goes well the next day.   

 

The doctor removes the staples and the procedure is quick thanks to some weird device.

 

Before he leaves, Dr. Ryu tells him to go see his therapist before he heads home. Once in her office, the therapist leads him through various exercises he can do for his legs to prevent any further health problems from arising. She explains to him why it’s important to do this and when he’s done she hands him a little pamphlet to remind him of the motions. She congratulates him upon leaving.

 

When all is said and done, Tensei wastes no time getting the hell out of there.

 

Tenya and their father come to pick him up from the hospital. They him gather his things while he shoves them in a bag. Once they’re done packing, they wheel him downstairs and help him into the car. He jokingly considers tying his chair to the car and having them pull him. Tenya looks appalled by the suggestion while their father just gives him an exasperated look. It’s a bit of a learning curve, but he ends up figuring it out. He grabs the handle on the inside of the car with a bit of effort before unsteadily swinging himself into the seat. He narrowly misses hitting his head. He then picks up his legs and adjusts them into the car. Their father collapses his wheelchair while his boys buckles in.

 

Then they’re off to the house.

 

“I’m surprised mom didn’t come with you guys” he says after a few minutes.

 

From the driver’s seat, his father glances at Tenya before responding “She wanted to stay behind to finish accommodating a few things. You know your mother’s a perfectionist.”

 

He can see Tenya nod vigorously in front of him, lips pinched together.

 

Interesting.

 

“Say, Tenya, what’s she doing in the house”

 

“She is fixing up somethings for your return!” Tenya repeats, a bit too loudly to be considered calm and factual.

 

“Reeeaaallly now, what sort of fixing” he prods. He can see Tenya fumbling for an answer.

 

He hears his father sigh.

 

“Your mother has gone overboard cooking. She wanted to surprise you with your favorites” his dad replies.

 

Tenya practically melts in relief, doing his best to get out of his older brother’s line of sight.

 

So, there’s some truth to the statement. There’s _definitely_ something going on, he knows it.

* * *

 

It’s not much later he finds out what it is.

 

When they arrive at the house, his father parks his chair next to him on the pavement. Tensei wastes no time and throws himself in it with no grace whatsoever. Tenya shouts at him for his recklessness and he can see his father chuckling over his shoulders. His legs are still sort of in the car, so he adjusts them onto the footplate before unlocking his chair and backing away. Tenya huffs in annoyance, asking if he hurt himself. He tells him he’s fine, he probably would’ve yelped if he hurt himself, he adds.

 

He closes the car door and makes his way to the house. It’s been so long since he’s last seen it. With an excited whoop, he fires up his engines and speeds towards the door. His father shouts at him to slow down, but he’s ultimately ignored. After he’s opened it he does the same thing, going up the newly installed ramp and into the hall. The house smells glorious, he practically _tastes_ whatever his mom had made. Following his nose, he makes his way towards the source  and stops in his tracks.

 

Confetti flies over him as a startled ‘welcome back’ is shouted by several people, it completely unsynchronized, but it effectively scares the shit out of him. He regains himself after a moment before laughing.

 

“I thought I was the one meant to be surprised not you guys”

 

“Well! We were supposed to get a warning before you came speeding in!” someone shouts back.

 

The dining hall is filled with his various of his sidekicks, some hold confetti poppers while others hold balloons. His mother stands next to the table holding a tray. She seems to have enlisted the help of Enigma as she walks in with a few of her blobby clones, helping his mother bring out the remaining food.

 

“Honestly, Tensei, you couldn’t have just taken your time for once” his mother scolds playfully.

 

“Speed is key to life mom” he replies with a cheeky smile.

 

“2 minutes is all we needed, man” calls another of his sidekicks.

 

Behind him, the other two Iidas enter. Various voices jokingly scold them for not stopping the rambunctious man. Tenya bows in apology to their guest, a few  head telling pat his head, telling him to relax. Meanwhile his father goes and pinches his wife’s cheeks playfully while she continues to lovingly scold him for not controlling their child.

 

He watches around and feels his heart swell with happiness. He never would have expected something like this when he came home. He rolls in further, getting dragged into conversation after conversation with various people. Someone from the support division updates him on the cases the team has taken in his absence, while someone else cracks a joke about the latest mishaps inside the office.

 

Overall, they’re all happy to see him alive.

 

It’s nice to be home.

 

After about an hour, he wheels over to his mom to thank her for the surprise and the food. She gives him a small smile, accepting the thanks for the food, but lets him know the idea wasn’t hers.

 

“I already planned to make your favorites for a little dinner party, but I didn’t think to invite your coworkers. It didn’t cross my mind that they would’ve been as worried about you.” she said, repentful.

 

“It was actually a friend of yours who stopped by the office to tell us. It was sudden to say the least, but a few of your lovely sidekicks offered to help out as well” she says, forging on.

 

Tensei looks at her confused for a moment, unsure of who it could’ve been. If it had been one of his work friends, surely, she would have said as much.

 

Noting the look of confusion, she chuckles and tells him it was a young Haimawari fellow. At first, he was perplexed by how he had managed to find his parent’s office, knowing he hadn’t been asked for an address.

 

Then he remembers their office can easily be found online. It’s not the farthest of trips, but he’s still surprised Koichi went through the effort. Not to mention, he would’ve had to of stopped by his own office as well and run whatever errands he was going to run.

 

Considering this whole shebang was his idea, there’s been a distinct lack of the male though.

 

“I haven’t seen him this entire time, did he organize this and just leave?” he asks a bit disbelieving.

 

“Oh, he went to go get something. Though it has been quite a while hasn’t it? I hope everything’s okay. He’s all bruised up you know. Told us he had run into a villain last week, it’s a good thing another pro managed to find him when they were patrolling” she confides in him. ‘ _If only she knew the full story’_ he can’t help but think.

 

“I’m sure he’s fine, mom. He managed to hold his own until help came after all” he says; some of the worry disappears, but the mother in her still frets.

 

He figures he may as well shoot Koichi a text. Then he grabs a plate, helping himself to the various foods that have been put out by his lovely mother.

They end up talking about a few other things, his mom clearly expressing her relief at having him home. She promises to show him the few additions she added to his bedroom and bathroom after everyone he left. He gives her a soft smile at the notion.

 

The doorbell rings about 20 minutes later, Tenya goes to open the door.

 

He immediately hears a feminine voice shouting warnings, another voice laughing wholeheartedly and a groan of annoyance. From the entryway, he listens as Tenya offers to help with whatever was going on. Which is ironic, considering he only has one functional arm.

 

Koichi walks in unsteadily followed by Kazuho and Makoto, a large white box between his arms, Tenya hovering anxiously along with Kazuho. Makoto greets the room once they’re all in sight, her charming but impish smile plastered on her face.

 

“I’m not gonna drop the cake!” he repeats exasperated after Kazuho makes another snide comment.

 

“He’s a _big_ strong man, Kazu, relax. Plus we’re here already!” Makoto laughs joyfully, the teasing undertone not going unnoticed.

 

His mom waves him over and he sets the box in the empty space she cleared. Curiously, Tensei nudges him out of the way, earning him another groan and a muttered ‘ _can’t catch a break with you people’._

 

He opens the box to reveal the world's most mouthwatering chocolate cake. The greedy gremlin in him wants to take it to his room and not share.

 

He turns back around and looks at his new guests. Makoto has wasted no time in mingling, mind probably already set on networking. Kazuho lingers awkwardly, before getting into a debate about music (a conversation she overheard and just _had_ to correct their tastes). Koichi mutters under his breath again.

 

“Typical. They invite themselves and join in like nothing” he sighs. This is a pace he’ll never be able to escape it seems. Koichi will always be weak willed.

 

Tensei pats his back sympathetically.

 

“It’s good to see you out of the hospital finally” Koichi tells him.

 

“It’s good to be back. I hear this whole thing was your idea.”

 

Koichi blushes deeply, slightly turning his head away in embarrassment.

 

“Maybe. I may have run into some of your sidekicks during one of my patrols. They _may_ have let it slip that they wanted to see you as soon as they could when I talked to one of them” he says quietly, not wanting to be overheard.

 

Tensei can’t help the swell of affection he feels.

 

“This means a lot, thank you” he says, squeezing his arm.

 

Koichi gives him a shy smile in return.

 

The party continues well into the evening, the cake eventually being distributed, and it was _delicious_. Koichi tells him that he asked the girls for any good bakeries, which is what lead to them inviting themselves. Some others from the agency drop by after their shifts, while others leave to start theirs or return home. A few stay behind to help with the cleanup, Makoto somehow spearheading the operation with Tenya acting as her support. It’s kind of cute, they’re like some sort of little sibling duo.

 

Finally, the last of the guests clear out, leaving only Koichi behind. He sits on the stair half of the entrance, lacing up his sneakers and preparing to leave. He wonders briefly if they’ll go back to only hanging out occasionally, now that he’s out of the hospital. He really doesn’t want that to be the case.

 

Tensei offers to accompany him to the station.

 

“I don’t want to be a bother”

 

“Don’t worry about it, it’s no trouble” he reassures

 

Once his shoes are on, they set off. The walk is mostly silent, the two simply enjoying the other’s company. They bid their farewells once they arrive. Koichi stops him suddenly.

 

“Oh, I forgot to give you this” he says, unzipping his hoodie and reaching into one of the pockets on the inside. He pulls out a wrapped gift, the size of a small frame.

 

“I wanted to get you something, a welcome back gift, but also, uh, thank you gift of sorts?”

 

Tensei’s eye widen in surprise. He carefully undoes one end of the wrapping paper, sliding out the contents; vigilant in making sure he doesn’t drop the item. He gets a bit choked up when he sees what it is.

 

In his hands his holds a small plaque, the wood frame has elegant looking engravings. The background is a simple black. A bit above the center, there is a metal piece in the shape of his helmet with his hero name in big bold letters. Furthermore, underneath it reads:

 

_Iida Tensei, most inspiring hero._

 

It's a simple plaque, relatively plain.

 

But it means  _everything._

 

“I got this made for you. It- it sucks that you can’t keep working, but you really were an inspiration to me. It really made me happy when you offered me your business card all those years ago. And, I felt like what I was doing the right thing when you told me I had found my place. It made me feel confident, getting recognized by a pro, ya know? Working with you throughout the years has been an honor, despite the weird circumstances."

 

"I just, I don’t want you to _forget_ that. You're my hero.”

 

Tensei’s eyes water.

 

And then,  he lets out a sob.

 

His shoulders quake with intensity, as more tears are let out. Panicking, Koichi kneels and tries to apologize, one hand hesitantly reaching out to his shoulder.

 

Without thinking, he pulls Koichi into his arms and hugs him.

 

He flails at the sudden movement, head landing on the other’s shoulder, hand finding perch on the back of the chair. Once the shock settles, he adjusts himself and wraps his arms around Tensei. The man leans into him further, resting his head against Koichi’s cheek. He feels water drip town his cheek, unsure if it’s coming from him or Tensei. He gently rubs the older man’s shoulder, doing his best to soothe him.

 

They stay like that for a moment, before Koichi gently pulls away and wipes Tensei’s eyes, staring at each other for moments on end. He gives him a lopsided smile, doing the same for him.

 

Then, they both start laughing hysterically, tears sliding down their cheeks, leaning into each other as they both struggle to catch their breath. Every worry forgotten in this small respite. It’s purely ridiculous. They stand outside the dark station, crying like idiots while the occasional passerby watches in confusion. It’s something straight out of a movie he would watch with his mom.

 

It’s by far the greatest night of Tensei’s life.

* * *

 

 

He knows thing won’t be easy, but he has a loving family and wonderful friends.

 

And he has Koichi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this, I conclude the first multi-chapter fic I have ever finished. It's been an interesting experience, I've attempted long fics before but I have never managed to latch onto something like I have this fic. I have to thank all of you who have followed along and supported me through this, it made me smile seeing every kudo and comment! I also want to give a special shout out to [ Lethey](https://lethesomething.tumblr.com/) and the brofest discord who have been my main source of ranting
> 
> Feel free to message me [ here](https://psychologicalcolors.tumblr.com)
> 
> I'm always happy to have someone to bounce conversation with! If tumblr isn't your thing, I made a [ discord](https://discord.gg/xY2Nye7) server


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